Open Your Eyes
by clichefandomgirl
Summary: Senior year. Those two words filled Diana Stevens with both bliss and dread. All her fellow classmates seem to know exactly what they want to do with their lives after school, and Diana is still searching for her muse... to no avail. With her future up in the air, and Umbridge wreaking havoc within the castle walls, what's a poor Hufflepuff girl to do?
1. The Girl

Susan's Cafe stood at the corner of Castle Street and Market Street, the plucks of an acoustic guitar soothing the mood of everyone who entered. Warmth covered those inside the quaint shop like a blanket; a most welcome reprieve from the crisp, cool air that lay just outside its doors. The chattering voices of customers were sometimes drowned out by the hissing and gurgling of the fancy espresso machines lining the counter.

From behind the register, a young blond girl flashed a smile. "Is there anything else I can get for you today, Sarah?"

"No, dear, not today." The elderly woman returned the smile, paying for her drink. "Are you off to school again soon, Diana?"

Diana's smile faltered for a moment. "Tomorrow morning, actually," she replied, ignoring the nervous fluttering in her belly. "Today's my last shift. But, I should be back around the holidays, so you won't miss me for too long."

Sarah tutted softly. "I never hear of children being sent off to boarding school these days. In Scotland, no less!" She took a sip from her cup, shaking her head. "Are your parents really that busy that they need to send you away?"

The bell above the door jangled as a woman and child entered. Praising the distraction, Diana waved off Sarah's question with a shrug and grin. "They travel a lot, yes. Besides, I really do love my school, so it's no nuisance to me. It feels like another home."

Sarah tutted again, but said no more on the subject. From her coat pocket she removed a 20 note, and she tucked it into the half-full tip jar. "For a new book," she explained at Diana's surprised expression. "I know how much you read, and that train ride of yours is sure to be long. Safe travels, dear."

With a wave, Sarah said goodbye. As Diana rang up the mother and son for their hot chocolate and blueberry muffin, she couldn't help but feel sad. For the past two years, her school breaks were mostly spent inside the cafe, earning money for whatever future lay ahead. Regulars, like Sarah, always seemed to brighten her day when they came by, and leaving for school meant not seeing them for months at a time.

Diana tried to shake the melancholy thoughts away; the last hour of shift seemed to come far too quickly for her liking. The bell jangled again, and a portly middle-aged man bustled inside, throwing a forest green apron over his balding head. David was the owner of Susan's Cafe, and he always seemed to have a smile on his face. If he was there, it meant it was already 4 o'clock.

"Good day?" he asked jovially, passing the tip-jar over.

"A great day, actually. There was a big rush around 11 o'clock that didn't stop for an hour." As she smoothed out bent notes and counted coins, David set to restocking the milks. They were definitely depleted after her busy morning. "We're sold out of every muffin except blueberry, by the way. And no scones left, either."

David eyed the almost empty food-case with happy eyes. "You're my golden employee, you know that? Even when I work, I never sell that many baked goods."

"I'm persuasive with junk food, what can I say?" Diana laughed, rummaging for her purse beneath the counter. She tucked the tips safely inside her wallet. "I sure will miss it here."

"And the cafe will miss you, too." David patted her warmly on the shoulder. "But, you'll be back in no time! You're still on for December holiday, yeah? I always need all hands on deck in winter. Place turns into a madhouse with Christmas shoppers," he complained, his face twisting into a rare look of irritation. "You handle them well."

A snort left Diana. "Sometimes I wish I didn't. But, I'll definitely be back for holiday… I can always use the extra money around then."

"Glad to hear it, Di. You're always welcome back here. Hold on just a tick." In a flash, David hurried to the back room, and was back in no time. He passed over a crisp white envelope with her name hand-written on front in his loopy scrawl. "I threw in a little extra for your good work," he explained, "along with your paycheck."

"You didn't have to-" Diana tried handing the 50 note back, but David held his hands up. After a few more attempts and still no success, Diana swallowed her pride and accepted the gift. "Thank you, David. It means a lot."

"Anytime, Di."

Diana grabbed her gold and black scarf from her bag, and wrapped it around her neck. With a last hug to David and glance around the shop, Diana pushed her way out into the chilly wind. The cobblestone streets were still busy that day, and she nodded to a few regulars here and there that she recognized.

A used bookstore was squeezed between two boutique clothing stores around the corner from the cafe. It was one of her usual haunts in town, and everyone who worked there knew her by name. For as far back as she could remember, Diana had always been in love with books. There was something about falling into a different world, experiencing someone else's thoughts and feelings, that brought her immense pleasure. She enjoyed everything from the classics, fantasy, horror, and the occasional non-fiction book, too.

Deciding to follow Sarah's wishes, Diana perused the multitude of colorful book-spines in the small shop. What was supposed to be an in-and-out trip became an hour long browse, and soon the shopkeeper, Julie, had to warn her of the time. Truncheon Books closed at 6 o'clock, which was suddenly five minutes away.

Without delay, Diana settled on copies of H.G. Wells War of the Worlds, and Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, the perfect mixture of classic and terrifying. The sun was getting lower and lower on the horizon as she unlocked her bicycle from outside the cafe.

Scarf flying along with her golden hair, Diana took her time leisurely biking down the streets towards home. The Stevens's lived on the outskirts of town, in a small white cottage with a thatched roof. Margaret Stevens, Diana's mother, had a love of nature and plants, which was noticeable within a glance of the house. In spring, the front yard was full of blooms of all colors, one side of the house even covered by a bit of ivy. The backyard was just as lush, with green grass and tall, expansive trees. A bench was settled beneath the largest oak, and it was Diana's favorite place to read when the weather was nice.

Soon, the two-bedroom cottage came into view. The cozy, warm feeling of home nestled inside Diana as she hopped off her Schwinn, storing it safely in the small wooden shed in the back. With school so close, she probably wouldn't be riding it again for a long time. Another wave of homesickness washed over her, and Diana rolled her eyes at herself. She wasn't even gone yet, and she was already not wanting to leave.

Barely stepping inside the cottage, there was a sudden WOOSH and crackle from the fireplace. Green flames burst to life, Jacob Stevens sighing as he came swirling into view. He glanced down at his suit, grumbling as he shook away some soot that clung to his arm. "Damn fireplace needs to be cleaned again? Didn't we just clean it last month?"

"It hasn't been cleaned since I got home for summer, dad." Diana held back a laugh as her father sighed again, eyeing the fireplace with disdain. "You can always apparate instead of flooing every day, you know," she admonished.

"Yes, but I always scare your mother when I apparate." He smiled a little at the memory. "Poor thing has never been able to get used to the sound."

It was true. Magic was as normal as breathing for Diana's father, but her mother was a completely different story. Margaret was pure, 100% non-magic. She was finally comfortable with most things after being married to Jacob Stevens for 18 years. But every now and then, magic would still startle the daylights out of her. Diana had been trained to apparate the previous school term, but had made it a point to not do it while at home. The last thing she wanted was to give her poor mum a heart attack.

Jacob stooped down to untie his shoes. Setting them beside the brick fireplace, he glanced at Diana's arms. "Di, more books? Really? Don't you want to spend your work money on something else?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "If you must know, one of my regulars gave me a bit of money as a going away gift. She told me to buy a book for the train ride north."

"Then I officially need to add-on a room to this house specifically for your books." Her father wandered into the kitchen, and Diana trailed behind him. He opened the refrigerator and produced two butterbeers from its depths. With a wave of his wand the lids popped off, and he offered one to Diana. "Between you and your mum, there's no more room on any of the bookshelves for those."

"I know, I know…" The butterbeer slid down easily, warming Diana's belly. Ever since she had turned 17 last year, if Diana and her father were ever alone at home, he would always procure butterbeer for the two to share. She smiled around the lip of the bottle as she brought it to her lips again. It was a bonding moment she would always cherish in its simplicity.

Jacob Stevens was an auror at the UK branch for the Ministry of Magic. It was a stressful job that kept him on the move or in the office for long, grueling hours. He would never complain for a second though. Once he had graduated Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he had made it his goal to enroll in the auror program. Ever since, he had worked his way up to some of the highest ranks of the branch, and was sought after for many difficult, dangerous cases.

Ever since the previous school term when Hogwarts had hosted the Triwizard Tournament, her father had been busy almost non-stop. False leads were thrown around like candy; people were paranoid from their own shadow, and the Ministry had to deal with every bit of the chaos.

A flash of a cold, lifeless form filled Diana's mind, and she felt a chill race down her spine and along her skin. How long would that picture haunt her dreams, awake and asleep? It had only been a handful of months since that fateful night, but still it preyed on her. Going back to school wouldn't help matters much.

Diana sat down heavily into a wooden chair at the kitchen table. "Any idea when mum will be home?"

"She has a staff meeting that might go late," her father replied, sitting across from her. He clinked their bottles together in a silent cheers. "Said we need to figure out dinner ourselves, just in case."

Diana instantly perked up. There was a tradition when her mum wasn't home to make sure they ate healthy. And from the worn, tired look on her father's face, she knew without a doubt what he had in mind. "I haven't had pizza in ages!" she exclaimed, nearly bouncing in her seat. "I wish the house elves at school would make it once in awhile."

Her father laughed heartily, setting his drink aside. "I'll just pop over and order, and I'll be back." With a grin, he waved his wand and turned on the spot, and CRACK.

Diana sipped from her butterbeer, waiting patiently. After five minutes or so, another CRACK filled the kitchen. Her father was still smiling. "Pizza will be ready in 20. I hope anchovy and artichoke was what you wanted?"

Immediately, Diana's face soured. "I really hope you're joking, dad. You know how much I hate anchovies and artichokes."

"Which is why I ordered pepperoni, because I don't like anything fancy either."

"Yay!" Diana stood and kissed her father on the cheek, clinking their bottles again.

He raised a brow. "Is your trunk packed and ready? I don't want another fiasco like last year where you nearly missed the train."

Hand on her hip, Diana smiled defiantly. "My trunk is packed and ready. All I'll need to do is put Rubeus in his cage, and I'll be set."

At the mention of Diana's beloved tabby cat, her father pulled a face. "You better wake up extra early to make sure you can get him inside that crate."

"Rubeus isn't difficult, dad. He only is for you."

"And why is that again? That damn cat will do anything you say, but he'll hiss if I so much as look at him."

"You're exaggerating," Diana replied in a sing-song voice.

As if on cue, there was a guttural meow from the living room. Rubeus, in his red and orange haired glory, sauntered into the kitchen, tail flipping as soon as his emerald eyes spotted Diana. With a graceful leap only a cat could possess, he settled onto her lap, purring.

"See?" her father said, eyeing the cat suspiciously.

Diana stroked her cat softly, eliciting deeper purrs from her best friend. "Maybe it's your mocking tone that pisses him off," she replied lightly. Rubeus's tail flicked, and he peeked one eye open to stare at her father.

"Whatever you say." Diana's father glanced at the clock that hung beside the backdoor. "I'll leave you to petting Merlin's bane, and pop over to the market before grabbing dinner. Forgot your mum needs me to pick up milk."

As if recognizing the off-handed insult, Rubeus let out a small growl of irritation. "Better go before he claws your eyes out, dad."

Her father glared at the cat. "No need for the warning. Anything you'd like from the market for the train ride tomorrow?"

"No, thank you." Diana grinned widely. "I'll get my fill of Jelly Slugs and Cauldron Cakes from the trolley."

"Your mum would kill you if she knew how much candy you eat away at school," he reprimanded. Still, he couldn't keep the proud smile off his face for long. "You are definitely my daughter." With a quick kiss to her forehead, her father apparated away.

Rubeus glanced up at her, his bright green eyes meeting her own. "Don't pay him any mind," she said, scratching behind his ear. "Soon, we'll be back at Hogwarts, Ruby. As long as you don't leave behind the head and tail like you did to dad, you can hunt _all_ the mice you want, too..."

* * *

 **Hello, everyone! I've been telling myself for years that I would suck up the courage to post a story on this site, and the day is finally here. This is my first story since 2008/senior year, and I'm a tad bit rusty... Nowadays, I mostly just write for my own entertainment. Reviews would be awesome, but they're not necessary at all. I'm just happy to be writing again. :)**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **-Hope**


	2. The Start of Term

**Disclaimer: ** I do NOT own anything from the world of Harry Potter. Obviously. And no, I did not write the portion of the Sorting Hat's song featured in this chapter... the credit also goes to Jo Rowling. :)

* * *

Before the alarm could even go off at 9am the following morning, Diana was rolling out of the warmth of her bed.

The first day of senior year. Today would be the last first day of Hogwarts she would ever have. After this year, she would (hopefully) be moving out, getting a job, and living the life of a full-fledged adult. Diana still had no idea what she wanted to do with her life when it came to working, though, and felt a twinge of anxiety as she showered.

Right off the bat, her mother knew she wanted to pursue her love of archaeology. Margaret Stevens taught at Oxford University, and traveled (when time permitted) to excavation sites around the world. Diana's father had also known right away that he wanted to protect the wizarding world, and became an auror with flying colors. Their ease with pursuing and loving their careers was intimidating, and daunting to follow.

So far, throughout her school career, nothing had jumped out to Diana as "her calling". She was exemplary at herbology, charms, and had a knack for Defense Against the Dark Arts. If you were to add that all together with a dash of potions and transfigurations, Diana would already be set for pursuing a career as an auror, or at least part of the Magical Law Enforcement division. But, transfigurations was never her strong suit, and potions she was only fair at, too. She spent most of her free time daydreaming and off in her own world; Diana found it very difficult to focus and concentrate enough to pull off transfiguring. As for potions, not only was she horrible when it came to mathematics (thus measuring any form of anything), but Snape intimidated her to no end. The anxiety she felt whenever his beady black eyes fell on her in class was enough to make her quit the subject for good.

History of Magic was also a no-go, despite her love of history that her mother had passed on. Though, having a ghost as a teacher was hardly inspiring for any school subject, in her opinion. Divinations was laughably a joke, even though Diana believed in a handful of things such as psychics and visions. Astronomy she was decent at, too, but Ancient Runes flew completely and utterly over her head. As for Care of Magical Creatures, she loved it dearly... but she would never dream of working hand-in-hand with a blast-ended skrewt for a living.

Her best friend, Elizabeth Sanders, always teased how Diana should just open a bookshop and be done with it. Even though the idea was both appealing and right up her alley, she didn't give it too much thought. Both of her parents had distinguished, well-paying jobs that they poured their hearts into. Opening a silly shop didn't seem good enough in the slightest when compared to them.

With her mind a flurry of confusing, stressful thoughts, Diana dried her shoulder length blond hair and applied her usual mascara and blush. Laid out on her mahogany desk was her outfit for the day, which consisted of well-worn jeans and a new Ace of Base band t-shirt - a going away gift from her mother. Rubeus attacked the black shoelaces as Diana laced up her Doc Martens, and she promptly grabbed the feline to put in his carrier.

Growling threateningly, Rubeus laid his ears flat on his head in anger. He would get over it as soon as they were on the Hogwarts Express.

Stumbling down the stairs with his carrier, Diana took a deep whiff of her mother's cooking. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and a slice of toasted bread with strawberry jam was set out on the table.

Margaret Stevens swept her blond hair into a ponytail as her daughter sat down for breakfast. "Does Rubeus need tuna for the train ride?" she asked, already opening a can of the fish. From his cage, Rubeus let out a deep meow. "I'll take that as a yes..."

"Thanks, mum." Shoving a heaping forkful of eggs into her mouth, Diana chewed thoughtfully. "Where's dad?" she asked, noticing the table was only set for herself. "Did he get called in early?"

"No, he's giving the chimney a quick clean." Margaret smoothed the hair out of Diana's face, cupping her cheek in a motherly way. "My little girl is going off to her senior year. I can't believe it!"

A blush colored Diana's cheeks at her mother's affection. "Me neither," she mumbled. "I'm a bit nervous, honestly."

Margaret's hand seemed to stiffen, and Diana immediately regretted her words. "Darling, are you sure you want to go?" her mother asked, frowning deeply. "Your father and I completely understand if you don't want to attend this term-"

"Mom, I'm only nervous for senior year!" Diana swallowed another mouthful of breakfast, washing it down with a swig of orange juice. Her stomach knotted. "I told you both in June that I wasn't backing out this term. Just because Cedric-"

Her mother held a hand up to stop Diana. Margaret Steven's face paled considerably at the mere mention of a certain Hogwarts student. "Don't bring that up. Otherwise, I won't be able to say goodbye. I don't trust that damned school one bit anymore..."

Diana said nothing. Of course her mother felt that way. Even kids with full blown magical families had little to no faith in the once safest school in all of Britain. After the death of a student, a student that was no less rumored to have been murdered by You-Know-Who, the wizarding world was in turmoil. The idea of sending their innocent children to such a school for months on end terrified parents, young and old. It was only after Diana's father had sworn his full-blown faith in Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, that her mother finally allowed the idea of her attending the following term. Many in Diana's House, Hufflepuff, were not as lucky. A good handful of seniors would be home-schooled this year, thankfully excluding her best friend and fellow dorm-mate, Elizabeth Sanders.

Before mother or daughter could say another word on the matter, Diana's father entered the kitchen. A fresh bag of floo powder dangled from his hand. "We can either take the freshly cleaned chimney," he said, giving a pleased look to his daughter, "or apparate. The floo has a few extra steps, as usual, but we'll make it on time to Kings Cross either way."

Diana's mother eyed Jacob's wand. "You know I always give in to apparating this time of year. It's the quickest way to get to and back from London."

"Right you are." Diana's father grinned widely, tossing the canvas bag of powder onto the kitchen table. Running a hand through his dark brunette hair, he eyed Rubeus in his carrier. "Ready to leave soon? Train leaves in twenty-five minutes."

"Don't rush her," Margaret scolded, nibbling a piece of toast and marmalade. "Our little girl, leaving for school again…"

Diana's father scooped her mother into a tight embrace. She rested her head against his shoulder, and he patted her back comfortingly. "She'll be back in a couple months, love," he murmured, kissing her temple. "The holidays are just around the corner."

Feeling like she was intruding on a private moment, Diana gobbled down the last bits of breakfast. Quietly, she grabbed Rubeus and crept out to the living room, cooing softly at her cat as he whined. Every year, her mother always had separation anxiety… but it was even worse this year. She was like a mother cat trying to protect her kitten.

" _Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric-"_

"Di!" Her father's exclamation brought Diana out of her reverie. "You ready, love?"

She nodded dumbly. Margaret held tightly onto one end of Diana's school trunk, the other gripping her husband's hand. Clutching Rubeus close, Diana raised her hand in unison with her father's wand, and both father and daughter turned on the spot. Still not used to the sensation of apparating, Diana held her breath as she was squeezed tightly through what felt like a narrow tube. Rubeus howled indignantly at the sensation, but the feeling soon subsided as Diana landed hard on solid ground. The alley was vacant only for a moment, and then her mother and father popped into view. Shaken, her mother stumbled a step or two, breathing heavily as she got her bearings again.

Diana and her father exchanged a grin as she calmed herself. Together, the three made their way across the street to the busy Kings Cross train station in London. No matter the hour, the station was hustling and bustling like it was the end of the world. It was the perfect location for a secret platform to be, because no one ever paid any mind to the strangers around them.

The barrier between platforms nine and ten loomed ahead, and a familiar mixture of bliss and anxiety filled Diana. As if sensing her thoughts, Diana's father gave her a brief squeeze on the shoulder.

"Off we go," he mumbled, holding his wife close. Diana's mother smiled a little. She had always enjoyed this part of the journey, and together Diana's parents ran at the platform arm in arm, disappearing to the other side.

"Ready for another year, Ruby?" she muttered, earning a disgruntled sigh from her cat. He was ready to get out of his cage, that much she was sure of.

In no time, Diana was standing alongside her parents on platform 9 ¾. The scarlet steam engine let out a billow of hot, white steam, a piercing whistle echoing along the platform. There was ten minutes until its departure, and families big and small were saying their final goodbyes. More than usual, Diana noticed the anxious looks sent over shoulders, and noticed copies of the _Daily Prophet_ clutched in the hands of mothers and fathers. The paper was full of propaganda lately, sporting titles supporting Dumbledore's incompetence to perform his role as headmaster. Diana grimaced at the very sight of them.

Glancing up at her father, Diana saw him pulling a similar face. "Hogwarts is one of the safest places you can be, no matter what the _Prophet_ says," he reassured her. "Albus Dumbledore is no crackpot."

"You don't have to tell me, dad." Diana held her trunk and carrier tightly, knuckles almost white from the strong grip. The butterflies were back in her belly. "I trust Dumbledore, and Harry Potter, too."

It was utterly ironic that at that moment, a familiar mess of jet black hair accidentally bumped into her as a large group moved past the Stevens. Piercing, green, tired eyes met her own as Harry Potter muttered a quick apology to her.

Diana's father let out a low whistle. "He looks like hell." His wife elbowed him harshly in the ribs, and he recovered quickly. "Poor bloke seems to have rotten luck, doesn't he?" he asked, forcing a laugh.

Diana couldn't laugh, though. She had seen first-hand Harry's face when he had come back, clutching Cedric's dead body in one hand, the sparkling silver trophy in the other. That image would never leave her, for that she was sure. "You can't tease about that," she mumbled, watching as a group of flaming red-heads and Harry Potter huddled together for their goodbyes. The Weasley clan was almost always attached to his hip, it seemed.

Before her father could respond, there was a sudden squeal to their left. Expecting the worst, Diana set her things down and braced herself as a body came hurdling her direction, promptly colliding with her. A flurry of thick, curly, brunette hair engulfed Diana's face, and she nearly choked on it as her best friend hugged her close. Managing to release her arms from the death-grip of a hug, Diana held Elizabeth back just as tightly. Both girls let out a ramble of "I love you"'s and "I missed you"'s, clutching each other close.

Through tearful goodbyes on both of their parent's parts, the two young Hufflepuff's managed to not suffocate from their parent's bone-crushing hug. Their mothers, both equally blubbering, were having a difficult time sending their daughter's off again to school. Even their dad's seemed a bit more glassy eyed than usual.

The scarlet engine whistled. Quickly, with one more wave goodbye, Diana and Elizabeth clambered aboard the Hogwarts Express just in the nick of time. The train lurched to life as soon as they were inside.

In jeans and a blue jumper, Elizabeth adjusted the glasses on her face, her brown eyes flashing towards Diana's green ones. "Glad to know my parents weren't the only ones being paranoid," she commented, glancing inside the compartment to her left. It was full of what appeared to be second-years, so they continued their journey down the narrow hallway. "Hopefully, they'll relax now that the train's left…"

After clambering by two more train cars, the Hufflepuff seventh years finally found an empty compartment to themselves. Both witches managed to shove their trunks in the overhead luggage holders; Diana opened the carrier, and Rubeus scuttled out.

He stretched out on the seat, and languidly curled into a ball in the corner. Elizabeth's black and white cat, Penny, did a similar stretch. She hopped onto the cushion beside Rubeus, and promptly fell asleep next to him.

"He hates most humans and animals, but loves Penny," Diana marveled. "My cat really is strange."

"No stranger than his owner," Elizabeth quipped, sending a wink Diana's way.

The two old friends grinned at each other, and quickly lapsed into a comfortable conversation about one another's summers. Though they had owled each other throughout the vacation, there was still things to catch up on. The first couple of hours were spent gossiping, and then moved on to more juicy topics.

"So you and Miles Sybrian are finally done?" Diana questioned. Elizabeth and Miles had been in an on-again, off-again relationship since fourth year. She had a hard time keeping up with their current relationship status.

Elizabeth nodded, stroking Penny's fur. The cat had migrated back to her owner's warm lap. "Definitely done," Elizabeth confirmed, voice tense with anger. "I can't take his flippant, go-with-the-flow attitude anymore. It's our senior year, for Merlin's sake! He can't just party his way through life and expect to end up on top."

"That's what you get for dating a Slytherin," Diana sang, rummaging through her purse. The copy of Blood Meridian was already dog-eared in two places as she opened to where she had left off. "No offense, of course," she added hastily, sensing the irritation coming from her friend.

Elizabeth clenched her jaw. "I know, okay? I just thought I could change him…."

In all honestly, Diana wasn't in any place to give advice on the matter. She had never in her life had a serious relationship with a boy, unless you counted her cat (which no one did). Even boyfriend-wise, she had two exes: one had lasted all of two weeks in third year, and last year for three months with a know-it-all Ravenclaw senior named Josh Cutter. Neither had exactly been life-changing, and all she had done was snog Josh a few times, and a tiny peck here and there in third year from Timothy Anderson.

Sure, Elizabeth was with a troll of a man who didn't treat her how she deserved, but she also didn't treat him very well, either. It seemed like both were in it just for physical comfort, nothing more. Or, at least that's the picture Elizabeth painted it to be.

Just as Elizabeth was about to say something, their compartment door slid open unannounced. Rubeus and Penny both leapt to their feet at the intrusion, letting out matching howls of disdain.

Two tall, red-haired boys slipped into the compartment, arms laden with boxes, bits of parchment, and an old quill. It didn't take long to recognize the infamous Weasley twins, what with their identical faces and identical grins.

"Hello, fellow Hogwarts students!" one of the twins cheered, sitting down beside Diana with a bounce. A roll of parchment fell, unraveling a foot or two. Names and addresses were scrawled in messy handwriting down the paper. He quickly gathered it up, shooting his twin a grin.

The other Weasley settled beside Elizabeth, opening one of the numerous boxes he held. Inside were what appeared to be wrapped candies in various colours. "What year are you two beautiful ladies in?" the Gryffindor questioned, waggling his eyebrows.

Elizabeth shot him a look that was a mixture of revulsion and confusion. "We've been in the same Defense class since first year, you twit."

The boy that sat beside Diana laughed as his twin turned a rather brilliant shade of red. "Hufflepuff seniors? Well, we have a delight for you ladies. And I'm not talking about my dear brother, Fred."

The red-faced Fred Weasley made a quick recovery, brandishing the box of sweets for the two girls to see. "Ever dream of getting out of History of Magic early because you can't stand the drone of Professor Bins a second longer? And-"

"-do you ever daydream of lounging by the lake instead of staring at Snape's greasy hair? Or-"

"-do you need to sleep off a hangover after a rowdy House party?"

"Well, we've got the perfect cure!" the twins said in unison.

Elizabeth and Diana exchanged incredulous, albeit amused, looks. This whole bit was obviously rehearsed.

"This here is our Skiving Snackbox," Fred explained, holding one of the wrapped candies up for all to see. Written in small black letters was 'Nosebleed Nougat'. The name alone was terrifying in the hands of a Weasley twin.

"We have a wide assortment of treats to get you out of any class: guaranteed!" Taking one of the candies, George tore back the wrapper. One end of the candy was an absurd looking purple, the other a deep red. "This here is our most popular, the Nosebleed Nougat. Just take a bite of the red end-" he ate the entire portion of red. Within seconds, his nose began spurting blood like he had just broken it. "-and presto! You have a one-way ticket out of Snivellus's classroom!"

Diana jumped back from the blood-flow, face aghast. "George! Are you okay? Here, let me-"

Fred held his hand up to stop her from grabbing her wand. "Now, now, Ms….?"

"That's besides the point right now," Diana snapped. Truly worried for the boy sitting next to her, she grabbed her ratty old jacket and shoved it under his nose. It was soon turning slick with blood.

Fred ignored her worry. "Don't waste your beautiful garment on this baboon, Ms….?"

"Diana bloody Stevens!" she cried, still trying to staunch the flow of blood. The coppery smell made her stomach twist in on itself.

Even with his nose a gushing fountain of gore, George Weasley grinned widely. "Care to be astounded, Ms. Stevens?" he asked, a light stain of red on his teeth. Before she could reply, George shoved the remaining purple end of the candy into his mouth. Within seconds of swallowing, his nosebleed stopped instantly.

Elizabeth gaped, eyes bulging behind her glasses. "What the bloody hell are you two trying to sell us? Our own death?"

"Hardly," the twins replied together.

"We have Puking Pastilles," said George, motioning to the green wrapped candy. "You'll toss up everything, but once you eat the orange end, you're cured!"

Fred nodded back to the box in his lap. "There's also Fainting Fancies, and Fever Fudge. Our Skiving Snackboxes are all you need to get out of lessons, social gatherings, and awkward dates!"

"They're still in the testing stages, but so far, no one's had any serious side effects!" George motioned to the quill and parchment in his lap. "Care to write down your information so you can have a box sent directly to you? We're handing out free samples, if you want to give them a go first."

"Give them a go?" Elizabeth scoffed, looking truly scandalized. "No offense, boys, but we don't trust any of your concoctions. Plus, it's senior year - we can't just skip classes willy nilly with N.E.W.T.s coming up!"

"You sound an awful lot like Granger," pointed out George, earning a stifled laugh of agreement from his twin. "Now, what about you, Diana? Wouldn't you like to try a piece of Fever Fudge-"

"She certainly would not!" Elizabeth stood angrily from her seat, motioning for the Gryffindors to vacate the compartment. "Now, shove off-"

"Actually... "

All heads swiveled in the direction of Diana. She was still holding onto her bloody jacket, staring at it in what looked almost like awe. Unlike Elizabeth, Diana was admittedly impressed with their display. She couldn't deny that an excuse to get out of Professor Binns class would come in handy, or an excuse to not attend another quidditch victory party, should their house win a match. Such events always bored her to no end.

Ignoring the shocked look from her best friend, Diana sent the twins a shy grin. "I wouldn't mind a few samples," she confessed. She peered into the box on Fred's lap. "One of each, maybe?"

The Weasley's broke out into matching face-splitting grins. "Take two samples of each!" Fred exclaimed, kindly handing over the contraband. "And let us know what happens. We want all the feedback we can get on these babies," he said, patting the box affectionately.

"Sorry about the jacket, by the way. Give it here." George grabbed her bloodied garment and cast a quick cleaning charm. It looked good as new, and he handed it back with a smile. "Maybe even test one out when we're around in class," he added, his brown eyes twinkling in her direction. "Wouldn't mind seeing them in action on someone outside of Gryffindor."

"Who are the only nutters crazy enough to take them," muttered Elizabeth, flopping back into her seat. Crossing her arms across her chest, she promptly ignored the twins and Diana as the red-heads explained how each "snack" worked, and which end to eat first.

Before long, Diana's purse was full of the candies, along with a couple of dungbombs (which she had only used once on pompous-Ravenclaw Josh), and a Ton-Tongue Toffee for good measure. Diana marveled at their creativity and ingenuity for creating so many things. Thanking her profusely again, the twins soon departed the compartment, much to Elizabeth's relief.

"I hope you're not stupid enough to really try those," Elizabeth said, pulling out her dress robes to change. "Those twins are always up to no good."

"Which is half the fun," countered Diana.

In 5th year, Elizabeth knew without a doubt she wanted to become a healer. Since then, she had taken to pouring over her school-books and fretting about top-grades, sometimes falling asleep in the common room at one of the desks, drooling over her books and parchment. There was no room - especially this year - for slacking off. She was striving for a position at St. Mungo's, and to nab a spot in their beginner's program wouldn't be easy.

Half the classes Diana was taking probably wouldn't amount to anything. A skipped class here and there, particularly History of Magic, would be a comfort.

As the two girls changed into their school robes, it didn't take long to see the soft lights of Hogsmeade outside their window. The train slowed, let out a shrill whistle, and came to a complete stop. Against their liking, both Penny and Rubeus were unceremoniously put back in their carriers. The felines were left behind with their luggage so the house elves could whisk them away to their dorm.

Apprehension hung in the air among the older students as they made their way to the line of horseless carriages. Excitement was palpable, but the grim faces as some students looked towards the silhouette of Hogwarts was unmistakable. Last term, after the Triwizard Tournament, things were different. Everyone could feel it.

Elizabeth and Diana left their carriage and entered the familiar stone walls of their school. The comfort Diana felt while being here still seeped past her skin, and she smiled widely upon entering the Great Hall. The beginning of term feast was a tad boring, what with the sorting, which seemed to take forever nowadays. The promise of roast chicken and mash made her not mind so much, though.

"Our table seems to have dwindled in number," Elizabeth muttered in her ear. "Christina Waters wasn't allowed to come back."

Diana felt her heart squeeze a bit in her chest. "Same with April Reed and her younger brother. She owled me over break to tell me."

The Great Hall was settling down just as McGonagall came into view, a long line of scared looking first years following in her wake. At the staff table, Professor Grubbly-Plank took a seat at the far end of the table. Was Hagrid, the gamekeeper and current Care of Magical Creatures professor, gone as well? The idea didn't sit quite right with Diana.

The buzzing and chattering of voices slowly quieted. Like every year previous, Professor McGonagall sat a rickety three-legged stool on the raised platform in front of the staff table. The Sorting Hat, a heavily patched and fraying thing, was placed atop. A rip near the hat's brim gaped open like a mouth, and many a first year jumped in fright. Diana held back a snicker as the Sorting Hat broke into song.

But, this was no usual song. As the Hat sang of the founders, the eventual depart of Salazar Slytherin, and the sorting of students…

 _Oh, know the perils, read the signs,_

 _The warning history shows,_

 _For our Hogwarts is in danger_

 _From external, deadly foes_

 _And we must unite inside her_

 _Or we'll crumble from within_

 _I have told you, I have warned you…_

 _Let the sorting now begin._

The hat stilled. A smattering of broken applause broke out among the tables, but Diana couldn't will herself to clap. A chill dripped down her spine at the ominous warning. In her mind, she pictured Cedric Diggory's smiling, handsome face, and soon it turned lifeless and cold, his body held in Harry Potter's grip on the quidditch pitch. Shaken, Diana took a wavering breath. A cool hand reached over and grasped hers tightly. Glancing at Elizabeth, she had noticeably paled as well.

The sorting seemed to go slower than usual. Soft whispered conversations were taking place all around her, many of the older students caught up trying to understand the Hat's song. Had the Sorting Hat ever given a warning before, perhaps during the first war? Diana quelled this train of thought, however. It didn't do well to dwell on it now.

Dumbledore's soothing voice announced the beginning of dinner. Food sprang to life on all of the golden platters, and the Hall became loud and raucous once more. As Diana ladled pumpkin soup into her bowl, Elizabeth was still staring at the staff table.

"That is one ghastly cardigan," she quipped, eyes trained on a woman sitting to Dumbledore's right. A bright pink cardigan was all Diana could focus on at first. The woman was stout and portly, curly brown hair poking out from an equally pink headband. She reminded Diana of her old manager, Dave, only her aura was not warm. She seemed fake and cold, judging by her expression.

"Is that the only color she knows?" Diana asked, smothering a laugh. "Must be our new Defense teacher."

Elizabeth nibbled on a bit of broccoli, still eyeing their new professor. "Wonder if she'll last the whole year. Merlin knows that job is as cursed as that cardigan she's wearing."

* * *

"Did you see McGonagall's face? I don't think I've ever seen her that angry! I didn't know it was possible…"

Diana, who had been adjusting the patchwork quilt on her four-poster, grimaced. "None of the professors seemed too happy," she replied. "That woman doesn't settle right with me one bit. I wonder how lessons with her will be?"

"Not good, no doubt." From the circular doorway across the room, fellow dorm-mate Samantha Hess appeared. She sighed heavily, untying her black and yellow tie from around her neck, putting her messy black hair into a ponytail. "My dad warned me about her," she explained, rummaging through her trunk. "Said she's the Senior Undersecretary to Fudge, _and_ on the Wizengamot."

This information made Diana bristle. "In other words, the Ministry is keeping a close eye on Hogwarts. Great."

Elizabeth shrugged on her bathrobe, making for the loo and one of her before-bed showers. "As long as as she doesn't talk to me like I'm a kindergartner like in her speech, I don't care. We should at least give her a chance, seeing as how we're stuck with her either way." She closed the door behind her, and the pounding of water from the shower echoed in the small dorm.

Changing into pajamas, both Diana and Samantha went to setting up the areas around their beds. Samantha smoothed a poster of the Weird Sisters neatly into place above her bed, placing her wireless radio on the nightstand along with a knick-knack or two.

Samantha was definitely the most out-going when it came to her roommates. She was a chaser on the Hufflepuff quidditch team, had her fair share of friends throughout the houses, and was also a star pupil in the eyes of Filius Flitwick. Her charm work was off the charts amazing, and in her spare time she enjoyed creating little spells here and there. She was dating Andrew Newell from Ravenclaw, and had been since third year. She was sweet and meant well, but sometimes she had so much on her plate with classes, sports, and Andrew, that she became a space cadet, too.

Diana placed her two new books on her nightstand along with a framed picture of her and her parents. It had been taken summer after fourth year while they were vacationing in Norway; Diana sandwiched between her mother and father. Diana had taken after her mother when it came to their short, petite stature and golden blond hair. But, she had her father's sage green eyes, heart-shaped smile, and button-nose, as he so fondly called it. Just looking at the picture made her smile.

Above her own bed, she smoothed out a poster. It was a painting by a muggle artist, Maxfield Parrish. It normally hung above her dresser back in Trowbridge, but she always brought it along to Hogwarts. It made the dorm seem a bit more like home.

Curled up on the patchwork quilt, Rubeus mewed softly as Diana changed into pajamas and crawled under the covers. She propped open Blood Meridian on her lap. Reading a chapter always helped her go to sleep.

Elizabeth cast a drying spell on her hair as she too got into bed. Samantha already had the curtains drawn, and a muffled snore escaped the confines. "I wonder if Andrew knows his dear Hufflepuff can snore like an ogre," Elizabeth teased.

"After four years together, I'd hope he does." Diana dog-eared a page, and put her book away. Sensing sleep was near, Rubeus sauntered up the bed and curled into a ball near her head, purring. Penny barely even budged as Elizabeth said goodnight, drawing the golden curtains around her bed.

Before sleep took her, Diana's eyes drifted to the small bag of different-colored candies she had set next to her books. Having seen Dolores Umbridge, she had a feeling a Puking Pastille or two may come in handy this year.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for reading, everyone! Feel free to drop a review if you'd like! :) I'm off to Disneyland next week, so no updates until after... And if you're from the USA, happy early Thanksgiving!

-Hope


	3. The First Day (Re-WRITE)

**Author's Note: ATTENTION ALL READERS**

Yes, I did in fact delete the third chapter I originally posted. I realized quickly that I wrote it in a rush, and that it didn't flow with how I wanted the story to progress. So, after a second and third re-write, I deemed this version acceptable. Sorry if this confuses anyone who did read the third chapter. Just let it fall out of your head, and replace it with this one. :) I hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** No, my name is sadly not J.K. Rowling. If it was, then I sure wouldn't be serving tables for a living. However, Diana Stevens is ALL MINE. No touchie.

* * *

"If you don't know what you want to do after graduating," Elizabeth said slowly, "then why are you taking N.E.W.T.s? It's not mandatory, you know."

The first day of classes was just like any other. The bliss and excitement upon arriving back to school had dimmed, and students began to moan and groan as they studied their time-tables. Sixth and seventh years looked particularly weary, their legs trudging tiredly around the castle, faces hidden inside their textbooks. Social lives would be on hold most of the year if a student was going to take their studying seriously.

The empty pitcher of pumpkin juice refilled itself, and Diana poured herself a fresh glass. "My mum and dad didn't want me to coast through seventh year," she explained, slathering marmalade on some toast. It smelled heavenly to her rumbling stomach. "Dad wants me to take after him being an auror, but I only received an E in Potions, and barely an A in Transfiguration… so I think that option is out." She sighed, biting into her breakfast. "I didn't even bother asking Snape to be accepted into advanced potions. He would laugh in my face."

"Does Snape even laugh?" Elizabeth asked blankly.

This earned a smirk from Diana. "Doubtful, but I'm not about to find out."

Elizabeth was eyeing her time-table, brown eyes calculating behind her wire-rimmed spectacles. "Speaking of the slimy git, it looks like I'm off to double potions. What about you?"

"I got an owl this morning. McGonagall wants to speak with me privately before first lesson." Diana glanced towards the staff table as she mentioned the head of Gryffindor house. "Probably to talk about my grade, or something. Otherwise, I have a free period."

"Lucky." Elizabeth sighed, taking one last sip from her goblet. She gathered her things in her book-bag. "I'm heading off early. Merlin knows if I'm even a minute late, Snape will have my head on a platter."

"Exactly the reason why I wanted to avoid him this year," Diana said. "Good luck, Sandy. You'll do fine."

The rest of the hall was slowly but surely getting their things together as well. Figuring it was also safest to arrive early to the transfiguration room, Diana followed a gaggle of giggling third year Hufflepuff girls out of the hall. Three staircases later, and Diana turned left off the landing towards the end of the hall. According to the distant chime of the clock, she was right on time.

A brief knock later, and Professor McGonagall's voice called for her to enter. The professor flicked her eyes to the doorway as Diana closed the door behind her. "Hello, Ms. Stevens. Did you have a pleasant break?"

Not sure what to expect from this meeting, Diana sat down in the seat opposite McGonagall carefully. "I did, yes. Thank you for asking, Professor. And yourself?"

Minerva McGonagall gave a little sigh, her face falling into it's usual thin-lipped expression. "Tiring, but good," she replied, setting aside the parchment she had been reading over.

Diana chanced a glance, and saw a familiar purple capital M emblazoned on the top. Her father's stationary had the same symbol: it represented the Ministry of Magic.

Clearing her throat, McGonagall sat back in her wing-backed maroon chair, a single brow raised. "Now, onto why I asked you here. I'm sure you're aware that you didn't make top marks in my class, yes?"

Diana nodded mutely. A hint of guilt played in her mind, knowing that even though she had tried, she hadn't tried her hardest when it came to studying for the O.W.L.s. Especially transfiguration.

As if reading her private thoughts, McGonagall clucked her tongue. "Professor Flitwick tells me that you are one of his star pupils in his class. That is why it surprises me that you find it so difficult in mine." She pushed her spectacles up the bridge of her nose, staring Diana down with a critical eye. "I understand Transfiguration requires a great deal more concentration and finesse. But, according to Professor Flitwick, he believes you're most capable. Do you agree with him?"

Diana felt utterly on display in front of the Professor's hawk-like gaze. Honesty bubbled up inside her throat, and she chewed her bottom lip. It was a nervous habit she had inherited from her mother. "I… I don't know, Professor," Diana admitted truthfully. "I agree that I'm quite good at charms. But with Transfigurations, I'm not as confidant. At all."

"And why do you believe that is, Ms. Stevens?" Mcgonagall inquired, lacing her fingers together atop her desk. The tone wasn't accusing at all, and Diana felt herself loosen up.

"I'm terrible at mathematics. I understand the basics for the equation you taught us first year, but anything after third year I can't wrap my brain around," explained Diana. "Especially switching spells."

McGonagall nodded. "Yes, you do struggle with the switching spells most. They're quite vital for passing your exams. You did very well on the written portion of your O.W.L.s, but failed at the performance. But really, the reason I called you here is to see if transfigurations is something you wish to pursue?"

Diana blinked, confused. "I didn't think I would be allowed to take your class with only an A?"

"In most cases, no. I wouldn't let a student into advanced transfiguration with anything less than an E." Professor McGonagall's thin lips quirked into a smile. "But, I do permit it at times, if I believe a student truly wishes to learn. However, it would require a tutor on your part. If you're going to keep up with the course load this year, it is the only way to do so."

A tutor? Just the sound of the word made Diana's face flush in embarrassment. "Do you know who that tutor would be?" she asked, weary. If it somehow wound of being her ex-boyfriend, Josh Cutter, she would run screaming for the hills. He was one of the reigning transfiguration students in all of Hogwarts, ever since second year. It would be a sick joke if he was assigned to her.

"First, I need to know that you're serious about this." Professor McGonagall's gaze hardened again as she peered at Diana over the brim of her glasses. "I went over your schedule with Professor Sprout, and you have Tuesday mornings off. You would have double transfiguration, and go straight into double Defense Against the Dark Arts. It won't be an easy course schedule."

Indeed it wouldn't. But for the most part, her schedule was fairly spread out throughout the week. One day of the week to run herself thin was nowhere near as bad as Elizabeth's schedule. She did two double classes nearly every day, and was taking extra private courses with Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout to focus on healing charms and which plants to use for injuries. Diana's course schedule would be much more manageable. Plus, having most of Wednesday as an off day would still allow some down time.

She resumed chewing her lip. Why not? A tutor wasn't the end of the world. Unless it was Josh, of course…

After another moment's pause, Diana gave in. "I would love to carry on with transfiguration, Professor. I want to prove it to myself that I can do it."

Professor McGonagall nodded curtly. "Very well. I'll arrange Ms. Spinnet to meet with you this evening before dinner."

The surname was vaguely familiar. A wave of relief swept over Diana knowing her tutor wouldn't be Josh, and she nodded. "Where should we meet? The library?"

The professor mulled the question over. "Sometimes Madame Pince doesn't take kindly to conversation, so perhaps not in your first session."

"I usually study at the Black Lake, if the weather is nice." Diana glanced out the window to her left, noticing the bright sunshine for the first time that day. The grounds would be decent enough. "It should be fairly warm still by the time we meet."

"Yes, that shall do," she replied, giving a curt nod of consent.

Diana smiled slightly. "What time, exactly?"

"Half past five, sharp." Professor McGonagall smiled, extending her hand towards Diana. "I look forward to seeing you in class, Ms. Stevens. I do hope your confidence improves."

Shaking the offered hand, Diana smiled shyly. "Thank you, Professor. I look forward to it, too."

* * *

The first day of lessons flew by. Diana's first class of the term, a double round of Charms, had gone swimmingly. During the brief break between periods where you could grab some fresh air, Professor Flitwick had waved Diana over to his little desk. He was excited to hear she was attempting transfiguration once again, and praised her skills, saying he had no doubt she would succeed with at least an E when it came to the N.E.W.T.s. She tried her best to let the compliment reassure her, but it didn't quite work.

After lunch, and her first History of Magic lesson (where she caught up on a quick nap in the back of the classroom, much to her table-mates irritation) it was nearly time to head down to the Black Lake.

Elizabeth was about to head to Ancient Runes, but stopped her best friend mid-step. "McGonagall assigned you a tutor? Really?"

Diana let out a hum of agreement. "Strange, right? I've never heard of such a thing for transfiguration. McGonagall seems like too much of a hard-ass."

"My thoughts exactly." Shrugging her book-bag over her shoulder, Elizabeth eyed the door that led out onto the grounds. "Any idea who the tutor will be?"

"Do you remember the name Spinnet at all?"

"You mean Alicia Spinnet?" Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but a grin tilted her thin lips. "She's a Gryffindor in our year, and on their quidditch team. Don't you remember? She and I were paired in Herbology last year?"

An image of a black haired, athletic looking Gryffindor with dark brown eyes flitted across Diana's mind. Being the somewhat shy girl that she was, Diana couldn't remember if they had even exchanged two words the previous semester. That would explain recognizing the name at first. "Oh," Diana finally said, embarrassed. "I guess I'm not as observant as I thought."

"That's an understatement." Elizabeth patted Diana kindly on the head like a cat. "She's sweet, though, so I'm sure you two will get along," she comforted. The bell chimed distantly, and Elizabeth gave a hasty goodbye. She ran off in the direction of the third floor. Like their roommate Samantha, she tended to have a poor judgement with time.

The air was still warm yet crisp as Diana left the castle. Tying her yellow and black scarf around her neck, she made her way leisurely down the hill towards the shore of the Black Lake. The water was smooth as glass today, and reflected the surrounding hills and trees in perfect clarity. It was days like this that Diana loved best to curl up at her favorite tree along the lake, put on headphones to her muggle cassette player, and read a book.

The tree wasn't too far from the main shore, so she picked her way over rocks and tree roots to reach it. The tree was set back just far enough to keep the rocky soil beneath dry, and the boughs of the oak tree shielded her from the brightest of the sun's rays. Dappled light still filtered down, but only enough so she could still read as the sun lowered on the horizon.

Diana rummaged through her bag and fished out her yellow cassette player and headphones. With a glance inside, she saw that her new TLC cassette was still set up. Happily pressing play, Diana settled against the tree trunk.

Growing up predominantly in the muggle world, Diana was constantly surrounded by muggle literature, music, and movies. Even after her numerous years at Hogwarts, Diana still preferred Fleetwood Mac to The Weird Sisters, and Emily Bronte to wizarding fiction. Elizabeth, who had grown up in a pureblood household, still teased her for it, though Diana didn't mind. Any reminder of home was always welcome while she was away at school, and her cassettes and books were the perfect medicine.

A soft breeze swept by, and the glassy water rippled slightly along with it. A sigh of contentment passed Diana's lips, and the nervousness of her tutoring melted away in the wind. The lake was a sort of haven to Diana. It wasn't a common place to find people unless the weather was hot, or if a student wanted to try and convince the local giant squid to play fetch.

It was one rainy, cold afternoon in first year that Diana had stumbled across this particular tree. Aside from her roommates, Elizabeth and Samantha, Diana kept to herself while at Hogwarts back then, and still did to this day. Quiet, dutiful with her schoolwork, and shy, it was no surprise bullies found her fun to mess with back then.

A Slytherin girl by the name of Cassidy Richmond, one of the few students Diana truly hated, had been picking on her that day. Pureblood and haughty, Cassidy cast a spell on Diana which caused her fingernails to grow at an alarming rate, and her hair and skin to turn a brilliant shade of green. Cassidy laughed and pointed as the young Hufflepuff cried and fled towards the infirmary; the students in the corridor were cackling along with her. Even after Madame Pomfrey had patched things up and turned Diana back to her normal appearance, she was far too humiliated to go back to class. Instead, she ditched history of magic, and disappeared onto the rainy school grounds.

Even though the ground was slick with mud and the wind was harsh, Diana ran towards the lake, not knowing where else to go. It was then, through the haze of rain and flurry of falling leaves, that she found the old oak tree. Curled beneath its boughs, the thick branches shielding her from the worst of the rain, she had cried for what felt like hours. Diana only returned to the safety of the castle when the sun was gone and she was thoroughly numb from the cold. Ever since, whether she needed space, to relax, or just time to think, the Black Lake was always there for her.

After flipping the cassette tape over for the next set of tracks, Diana was just settling back against the oak tree when she noticed a figure heading her direction. The girl's black, glossy hair seemed to shine in the sunlight as she made her way to the lake shore. She looked around as if searching for someone, and Diana watched as Alicia's gaze settled on her. Even from a distance, she could see the smile that lit her face.

"Hey!" she cried happily, making her way over. As she picked her way across the rocky shore, Alicia wrapped her gold and scarlet tie around her neck. "How are you, Diana?"

Diana let her headphones rest around her neck. "Fine, thanks," she replied, always the polite Hufflepuff. Now she felt even worse for not remembering Alicia Spinnet by name. It was obvious the Gryffindor girl knew who she was. "And yours?" she asked kindly.

"Exhausting." Alicia sat down beside her against the tree, heaving a sigh as she did. "The course loads this year are almost worse than they were for O.W.L.s."

Diana grimaced. "And this is only the first day back. Aren't you on the quidditch team, too?"

A similar grimace pulled at Alicia's soft features. "Don't remind me," she said, moaning slightly. "Angelina Johnson," another name Diana somewhat recalled, "was made Captain of the team. She's my best friend, but I still fear for my life. She can be downright scary when it comes to sports."

Admittedly, Diana wasn't one for quidditch. She couldn't remember the last time she had even attended a match, and therefore couldn't understand the intensity some students had around the game. She fumbled to put her cassette player away, feeling suddenly out of place with the fellow seventh year girl.

"Sorry to blurt that out," Alicia apologized, smiling sheepishly. "Besides, we should be talking about other things. I was surprised McGonagall assigned you a tutor."

"Me too," Diana admitted. "I'm sorry. You didn't have to agree. With exams and quidditch, this is probably the last thing you need on your plate." A twinge of guilt settled in the pit of her stomach. One of her least favorite things was to feel like a burden to someone else, friends and family included. Strangers and classmates? Even more.

Alicia held her hands up, laughing at Diana's earnestness. "I don't mind," she replied easily. "Honestly, I really don't. I'm just still in shock the professor even thought of me in the first place. McGonagall's been my Head of House for seven years, and I still can't tell if she likes me or not."

McGonagall's sharp face came to mind at the mention of her name. She had a feeling most people felt that way about the head of Gryffindor house. "Well, I'm sure you're an ace at transfigurations if she chose you."

Alicia's smile turned bashful. "True. I've been near the top of her class since third year."

She tossed a rock into the lake. The following _plunk_ as it sank made Diana glance away, embarrassed again. "I really am thankful, though. My dad wanted me to follow through with transfiguration this year, and it looks like I finally can."

A tanned hand was suddenly thrust into her line of vision. Looking back, Alicia grinned. "I promise to get you at least an A," she said, giving Diana's hand a firm shake. "From what I've heard, you're at the top of the class for charms. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon enough."

Diana wasn't so sure, but chose not to voice her worries aloud. "What time works best for you?" she asked.

"I'm free Mondays after five o'clock, Wednesdays after lunch, and Thursday mornings." She ticked the times off on her fingers. "Quidditch practice may mess my schedule up a bit, but we'll figure it out."

Diana went over her own schedule in her head. "I have Mondays after five o'clock, and Wednesdays after lunch free as well. So let's aim for meeting in the library this Wednesday at 1 o'clock?"

"That sounds great." Alicia shoved her hands into the pocket of her robes as a colder, harder wind blew past. The two students got to their feet, brushing off their bums from the dirt and pebbles underfoot. "I was just heading to the Great Hall for dinner," Alicia said, nodding up to the castle. "Want to join?

Diana shook her head. "I'm just going to stay out here a bit longer. It's quite peaceful on the grounds today."

Alicia didn't seem to take the rejection personally. Quite the contrary, she grinned widely and slung her book-bag over her shoulder. "Then I'll see you bright and early in class tomorrow. I'll save you a seat next to me!" And with that, Alicia made her way back up the gentle slope of the hill towards the castle, leaving Diana to her thoughts once again. Maybe, just maybe, this year wouldn't be as bad as she thought.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** If you'd like to, please review! Otherwise, I hope everyone is doing well. Life's been a bit rough, but that's okay. I've acquired my plane ticket to the UK in August, and inspiration has been strong for this story. I'm so excited! Harry Potter Studios Tour, here I come!

-Hope


	4. The New Professor

**Disclaimer:** Anything you recognize is not mine, but belongs to J.K. Rowling. Anything you don't recognize belongs to me, Hope. Woo?

* * *

The following morning dawned gloomy and overcast outside the circular dorm windows. With bleary eyes, Diana blinked heavily at the little alarm clock on her nightstand. She was a light sleeper, so the soft chirps it emitted immediately woke her up. She nudged Rubeus off her legs, and he gave an indignant meow at his sleep being interrupted.

The first week of school always took some getting used to. Waking up at 6:30am wasn't exactly her idea of fun. Even back home when she worked at Susan's Coffee, she rarely had to be awake before 7am. School was a whole different story.

It wasn't until after her shower that the haziness of sleep faded away. By the time Diana was casting a drying charm on her blond hair, her dorm-mates began to stir in their beds. With a grumble, Samantha shuffled into the bathroom, Elizabeth not far behind. Neither girls were morning people. Each giving Diana a brief nod of acknowledgement, they disappeared into shower cubicles.

"I'll see you slow-pokes in the Great Hall," Diana called out to the now steamy bathroom. To ensure her mornings go smoothly, Diana made it a habit to lay out her uniform every night before bed. Just the idea of being late to anything stressed her out. She slipped into the high-waisted pleated skirt, and buttoned her white long-sleeve shirt. The Hufflepuff tie was always a headache, for it never seemed to want to cooperate, even after all these years. After a few failed attempts, she managed to make it look presentable, and Diana smiled at her reflection approvingly. Before she slipped out the dorm, Rubeus appeared and twirled between her legs, purring softly.

She scratched behind his ear, earning a pleased, guttural meow from the red tabby cat. "Want to join me for breakfast, Ruby?" she asked. He gave another meow, and his green eyes seemed to smile. "Let's go, then."

Rubeus trailed behind Diana all the way to the Great Hall. He promptly disappeared beneath the Hufflepuff table, and sat next to her feet. He knew if he waited long enough, Diana would sneak him a bite of bacon or sausage as a treat. He truly was a spoiled pet.

As he contentedly chewed a morsel of bacon, the Great Hall slowly but surely began to fill with students. Content, Diana spooned scrambled eggs onto her plate, followed by a bit of granola and yogurt. She stuck her spoon, yogurt still clinging to its underside, down to Rubeus. He licked it gratefully.

"It's a wonder he's not obese."

Diana glanced up, smiling as Elizabeth settled into the empty spot next to her. "It's not like I do this everyday," Diana defended. Beneath the table, Rubeus meowed softly in agreement.

"Whatever you say." Filling her own plate, Elizabeth stifled a yawn. In her tired stupor, she almost knocked over a pitcher of orange juice. Diana grabbed it just in time. "Has your Transfiguration book come yet?" Elizabeth asked, shoving food into her mouth.

Diana shook her head. "Flourish and Blotts won't deliver it until Friday. But, McGonagall gave me an old copy until it arrives."

Today was going to be a long day for both Hufflepuff's. First lesson was a double helping of Transfiguration followed by a quick half hour break, and straight into double Defense Against the Dark Arts. Just thinking about the morning made Diana want to crawl back to bed.

Rubeus headbutted her leg. Giving him a quick scratch beneath his chin, Diana watched him saunter out of the Hall. She wished she could join him on whatever adventure he was sure to find himself in. But, alas…

Students were slurping down the last of their pumpkin juice before gathering their school-things, breakfast always seeming to fly by far too quickly. Diana hastily buttered an extra piece of toast before scurrying after Elizabeth. They followed groups of students out to the Middle Courtyard, and headed left to the Transfiguration classroom.

Sixth and seventh years classes were still strange to Diana. Unlike years first through fifth where nearly every seat in every class was taken, it was the complete opposite. Only students that wished to continue with the subject were in attendance. There was only 12 in all today, at least two or three people representing each house in Hogwarts. Less students meant more intimate lessons, something Diana was less than thrilled about. It would be like she was on display for McGonagall to critique her every move.

"Diana!"

At the sound of her name, Diana was pulled from her thoughts, and quickly turned to her left. Motioning her over to the empty seat, Alicia Spinnet smiled wide. With a friendly hello, Diana sat down, happy to see Elizabeth sit in front of her at the desk Josie Woods was at. Josie was a quiet but kind Ravenclaw, and a fellow nurse-in-making. Apparently, she and Elizabeth had grown close over the previous year, and paired together when possible.

That worked out for Diana. It seemed that Alicia was going to be her Transfiguration partner every week for the rest of the year, unless she miraculously became an ace student. Obviously, that wasn't very likely. At least the kind Gryffindor girl would became another friendly face around the castle.

Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the classroom, hands folded in front of her. The patient look on her face tightened. "Everyone, please find your seats," she said. Her eyes fixated on the Weasley twins, who were huddled around where Lee Jordan was seated, muttering excitedly about something or other. "That means you, Mr. and Mr. Weasley. Don't make me say it again."

One of the twins grinned cheekily. "Sorry, Professor." The red-haired Gryffindors found their desk in the back of the room, knowing better than to push their luck with their Head of House.

Professor McGonagall's tight lips softened into a small smile now that everyone's attention was focused on her. "Welcome," she greeted, "to seventh year Transfigurations. As most of you already know, this year will be your hardest yet. Homework will be assigned every lesson," a collective groan rose throughout the room, "and tests every other week. I suggest you take your studies seriously, because your end-of-year exams will not be kind to you if you are not prepared. Now."

With a flick of her wand, a piece of chalk rose into the air. As if controlled by a puppeteer's strings, it began to scrawl instructions onto the chalkboard at the head of the class. In loopy letters, the title of the lesson said "Review".

"Today, we will be reviewing a spell or two from last year. Next lesson, we will dive head on into our course." The high wing-backed chair creaked as Professor McGonagall settled behind her desk. With another flick of her wand, a teacup appeared in front of each student. "Instead of turning an animal into an object, we will be doing the opposite. I expect everyone to successfully turn each of their teacups into a rabbit within the hour. If you are done early, please sit quietly, or help those around you. After the hour is up, we will discuss your first essay assignment, and briefly outline this term's course. Begin."

Everyone grabbed their wands and set to work. Wearily, Diana eyed her pink and white teacup, the roses and leafy green vines almost mocking her. How could something so delicate and cutesy cause her such stress?

Alicia smiled. "At least this isn't too hard of a task," she said lightly, brushing her dark hair back into a ponytail. Diana's grimace only deepened. "Oh, come on, this won't be too bad."

"Says the tutor assigned to me," replied Diana, staring the teacup down. "Last year, I was only able to get my book to grow a rat's tail."

Chuckling, Alicia opened her textbook to a chapter that would help. She pushed it towards Diana. "Here. Now, picture in your mind exactly what your rabbit looks like."

A mental image of a fluffy, black and white haired bunny popped in her head. "Check."

At this point, the class was full of incantations being both calmly and irritably repeated. With a glance around, it seemed as though only one student had been successful right off the bat. Alicia enunciated the spell slowly, twirling her holly wand in the air slowly so Diana could watch each movement.

Even after Alicia shower her five times, the picture Diana had of the innocent, furry rabbit would always disappear when the moment came to transfigure. The teacup sat there silently, still looking very much like a teacup. Warmth rose on Diana's cheeks, embarrassed as she failed for a sixth time.

"Damn teacup," she muttered, agitated.

Alicia fought off a smile. "Come on," she coaxed, "you're psyching yourself out. You can do it."

A sudden cheer set off at the back of the classroom. Students turned to stare as both Weasley twins teacups turned from rabbits, to mice, and back to their teacups in awe. Jealousy stabbed softly at Diana's heart, wishing she could do such a thing with ease like they were doing. Professor McGonagall told the boys to stop distracting the class, which they did so halfheartedly.

"Such entertainers," Alicia mumbled under her breath. She turned her attention back to Diana. "One more time, Diana. Don't let those jokers bring you down. Picture the rabbit again-"

Diana ran a hand through her blond hair, taking a slow, deep breath as she did. Closing her eyes, she focused on the damned bunny, picturing it hopping around on the desk. Hawthorn wand raised high, she mimicked Alicia's movement, saying the spell with as much intent as she could muster.

"Success!" Diana cried happily. Sure enough, the teacup had sprouted black and white ears, and a little cotton-tail. Brown eyes stared at her from the center of the cup, blinking confusedly at the excited Hufflepuff.

"Not a full success," Alicia reminded, "but close! I bet you can do it in a few more goes."

Feeling a surge of confidence, Diana spent the next twenty minutes on the spell. Sadly, only the ears, eyes, and tail would appear. As Professor McGonagall weaved between the rows of desks to observe, she stopped at their table. Diana felt the image falter in her mind, but swallowed her fear and waved her wand again.

This time, in all it's glory, the teacup transformed into the cute, fluffy bunny of her dreams. "I did it!" she yelled, triumph in her veins. A few people looked over at her cry of joy and laughed. Embarrassment flooded Diana, but she didn't care. She had done it!

More to Diana's glee, Professor McGonagall nodded approvingly as the teacup-turned-bunny hopped over to Alicia's white one, each one sniffing the other curiously. "Well done, Ms. Stevens. And you too, Ms. Spinnet - excellent tutoring."

The girls exchanged smiles as the Professor strolled away to the next desk. Elizabeth leaned back in her seat, and high-fived Diana. "Too bad it's not as cute as mine," she teased. 

* * *

The rest of class passed by without much excitement. Still riding on her high, Diana happily jotted down notes, and was almost excited to write the essay assigned, too. "Remember, it gets harder from here on out," Elizabeth said.

"Don't bring my mood down, Lizzy."

Alicia squeezed Diana's shoulder in a friendly way. "You did great, though, and you'll keep getting better. On my honor," she added, quirking her eyebrows happily.

The three seventh years made their way to the other side of the castle. A good portion of the class also had double DADA next, so they traveled together in a loose pack.

Lee Jordan sidled up to Alicia, throwing an arm around her shoulder. They exchanged hellos, and Alicia raised an eyebrow at him. "Who are these beautiful friends of yours?" he asked, smiling brightly at Diana and Elizabeth.

"I knew it." Alicia swatted him away as if he were an annoying fly. "You always hit on anything with a pair of ti-" She was abruptly cut off as Lee clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I do not!" he said indignantly, flashing another smile to the two Hufflepuff's.

Both Diana and Elizabeth exchanged amused glances. "My name is Elizabeth," the brunette greeted kindly.

"Lee," the boy replied, shaking her hand. He turned his charming smile on Diana. "And you are?"

Unsure of how to take this attention, Diana was a bit more hesitant. "Diana," she replied, politely shaking his hand, too.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

A faint blush rose to her cheeks. "Um… thanks? I think?"

Before Lee could say anything more, a familiar set of red-heads appeared on either side of him. Each placed a knowing hand on his shoulders, tutting. "Now now, Lee-" one of the Weasley twins admonished.

"-don't scare off our newest snackbox tester," the other added. "As far as we know-"

"-she hasn't tried any of them yet."

For the life of her, Diana couldn't tell which one was which. She felt the blush on her face intensify as the three boys grinned mischievously. " _Have_ you tried any yet?" Lee asked, excited.

Diana shook her head. Thankfully, the DADA classroom loomed ahead, and she quickened her pace. "Not yet," she replied. "I'll let you all know when I do."

"Can't wait!" one of the twin's replied. "We haven't had many girls try them out yet."

"I wonder why," Elizabeth muttered. The very idea of the Weasley twin's pranks irritated her. Should the day come when Diana tested out a Nosebleed Nougat or Puking Pastille, she would never live it down.

It wasn't long until the warning bell chimed. The staircase in the classroom that lead to the DADA Professor's office opened, and the squat, toad-like woman emerged. Clad head to toe in pink, she smiled primly at the front of the class, waiting for the last straggler to find a seat. Diana sat with Elizabeth and Alicia, curious to see what the newest Defense teacher would be like.

The toad-like smile on Professor Umbridge's face seemed to grow. "Welcome, class, to Defense Against the Dark Arts," she simpered. "Now, as seventh years, I've come to realize that your Defense Against the Dark Arts education has been rather… fragmented and disjointed, for lack of a better word. Hasn't it?" She paused, as if waiting for everyone to agree. Instead, she was greeted with a confused silence. "Know now that this is about to be changed. Please, open your textbooks."

Diana blinked. It felt like ages since class had started off a Defense lesson with a textbook. Carefully, she grabbed the book from her bag, and flipped it open to the first chapter as Umbridge's stubby wand wrote instructions on the board.

"From now on," Professor Umbridge explained, "every year will be following a Ministry pre-approved, theory-centered curriculum." More words appeared on the chalkboard behind her. She motioned to it. "Please, copy this down."

Everyone followed the instruction, though many exchanged curious glances with their table-mates. Quills scratched against parchment along each row of desks. However, a Ravenclaw boy by the name of David Bramson, stuck his hand into the air.

Professor Umbridge's patient gaze turned to the blond haired Ravenclaw. "Yes?"

David tilted his head, glancing down at his book, then back to her. "This morning, I read the first few chapters of the textbook. So far, it doesn't mention the use of wands in any of the assignments. I was wondering why that was?"

A giggle like that of a trilling bird filled the air. Placing a pudgy little hand to her lips, Professor Umbridge's eyes glittered in amusement, as if David had said something hilarious. "My dear boy! Why on Earth would you need to use your wand in my class?"

Diana stiffened at her words. Like wildfire, the students began muttering to one another, shocked. Ever since Professor Lupin had taught the class, Defense Against the Dark Arts had remained Diana's favorite subject, along with Charms and Herbology. The idea of not utilizing defensive magic seemed almost barbaric in her eyes.

Shyness forgotten, Diana raised her hand, too. "But, Professor-"

"Do not speak unless I have called upon you," Umbridge cut in, voice sweet, but face giving way to irritation. "Yes, Ms….?"

"Diana Stevens."

Professor Umbridge's smile brightened. "Are you by chance related to the auror, Jacob Stevens?"

Diana had no idea why that had to do with anything. "He's my father," she replied, completely caught off guard. Ignoring the question, she continued. "But, Professor, why won't we be using our wands? In our previous years, we've always-"

"As I've mentioned earlier, your previous years were very poorly taught." Professor Umbridge strolled slowly up the aisle, coming to a stop beside Diana. Her eyes seemed to glitter, but no longer with amusement. "Now, I will hear no more arguing over something so trivial. In my class, wands shall remain in your bag or pocket at all times-" she paused to look at the rest of the class, "- _no_ exceptions."

On that note, she made her way back to the front of the class. A sudden anger, one that Diana had never felt, blossomed in her veins. The words were out before she could even think. "Last year, a student died," she said. "Shouldn't we be more prepared against something that might harm us? Or someone?"

The hush that fell over the classroom was impenetrable. Beside her, Elizabeth clutched at Diana's arm, giving her a look of pure bewilderment. Alicia also looked at her in shock. "What are you doing?" hissed Elizabeth.

It was too late to take it back. In a flash, all simpering sweetness was gone from Professor Umbridge's demeanor. Instead, a coldness settled over her, and she turned on her heel to stare at Diana. "Ten points from Hufflepuff. For speaking out of turn."

"But-"

"Twenty points." Professor Umbridge raised a single mousy brown eyebrow. "Do you have anything else to add? If you speak again without being called upon, Ms. Stevens, I'll sadly have to give you detention."

As if her words snuffed out a flame, Diana felt her passion dwindle. She shook her head.

Another smile curved Professor Dolores Umbridge's squashed face. "Ah. I thought so. Now, as I was saying…" She instructed the class to continue reading the first chapter as if nothing had happened.

A sudden fight-or-flight feeling stole over Diana. Not only had she questioned a teacher, something she had never done, but she would now be stuck with the woman for two whole hours. The very idea made the anger well up within her again. There was something about this particular Defense teacher that scared Diana deep inside.

An idea came to her then. Diana plunged her hand into her bookbag while Umbridge's back was turned. She groped inside the largest pocket, finally gripping the tiny candy in her palm with relief. She glanced at the colored wrapping.

Elizabeth's grip tightened on her other arm. "Nooo, what are you-"

Diana chewed off the deep red end hastily. Within seconds, blood began pouring from both nostrils. It was the strangest feeling. Her head felt completely fine, yet her nose was gushing red. A girl to her left gave out a shriek, gathering the attention from everyone within the room.

Surprise registered on Professor Umbridge's face. "What in the world-"

"Don't worry, Professor." One of the twin's rose from his seat. He shrugged off his robe, offering the clothing to Diana. She placed it beneath her nose, grateful. "I can escort her to the hospital wing."

Umbridge charmed the blood-covered desk, siphoning away the blood. She looked both irritated and disgusted. "Your housemates will bring you your homework, Ms. Stevens. And I expect to see you back here as soon as you drop her off," she said, eyeing the Weasley distrustfully.

"Of course," he replied, smiling. "I'll be back in a jiffy."

With that, Diana gathered her things, grabbing the offered arm of the twin and leaving the classroom. Once they were a corridor away, she shoved the purple end of the sweet into her mouth, swallowing thickly.

"That was a bloody good show," the Weasley praised, grinning widely. "No pun intended."

The flow stopped. Diana felt her body shaking, from anger or something else, she wasn't sure. Never before had she acted so irrationally at school. "That woman…"

"Is a right piece of work. You were great in there, Hufflepuff." He stuck his hand out towards her. She shook it without thinking. "I'm George, by the way. My brother Fred and I hope you continue to use our products against that toad for the rest of term. Or until she's fired… whichever comes first."

"I hope it's sooner rather than later," Diana grumbled. The anger finally subsided completely, and she stood there, unable to believe what she had just done. "Merlin, I can't believe I did that…"

George slung his arm around her shoulder good-naturedly, steering her down the main staircase. "I don't know you," he said, "but I must say, that took some guts. Sure you weren't meant for Gryffindor?"

Though his tone was teasing, Diana felt her face warm at his words. "Definitely not," she grumbled. She suddenly realized where they were headed. "I don't really need Madam Pomfrey-"  
"First time faking sick to get out of class, eh?" Steering her around another corner, the hospital wing appeared at the end of the hall. "Here's your first lesson: assume the professor you abandon will check in with Pomfrey to make sure you were there. They'll blow their top if they find out you were faking."

Diana nodded dumbly. She was learning a lot of things today, it seemed. "Thanks…" She didn't know what else to say, awkwardness taking over.

George didn't seem to notice. Or, if he did, he didn't let it show. "Anytime, Hufflepuff."

As he escorted her into the hospital wing, she frowned. "My name is Diana, you know."

"I know." He shrugged, smiling. "It's fun to have nicknames. And, until I get to know you better, you'll remain Hufflepuff to me. Ah - hello!"

Madam Pomfrey bustled past the door, nearly rolling her eyes at the sight of George. "Whatever it is, Mr. Weasley, I don't believe it," she said offhandedly, already moving away towards her office.

Feigning offense, George tugged Diana in behind him. "I'm actually helping a friend out," he replied, which made her stop in her tracks. "Diana here had a terrible bloody nose. It's seemed to have stopped, but…"

Madam Pomfrey spun in place and hurried back. She peered into Diana's face, and down to her bloodies clothes. "Lay down," she instructed. "You're a seventh year, aren't you? I swear, you lot always get nosebleeds from the stress…"

Unable to summon words, Diana allowed herself to be led to one of the cots. George grinned as Madam Pomfrey propped her up with three fluffy pillows and checked her over. The matron soon deemed Diana healthy, but made her promise to stay until lunchtime to rest. Diana nodded mutely.

"Off with you now," Madam Pomfrey said, shooing George. "Ms. Stevens isn't dying."

"Always good to know." George's eyes sparkled in good humor as the matron disappeared into her office. He turned back to Diana. "I'll see you soon, Hufflepuff."

And with that, he disappeared out the door back to class. All Diana could do was lay back, and stare at the ceiling in silent amazement. If every Tuesday went like this one did, this was going to be one hell of a year. 

* * *

****

**Author's** **Note:** Sorry for the delay on the latest chapter! As usual, my writer's block reared it's ugly head... but, I prevailed! Huzzah! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I can't promise how frequently I'll be updating, but rest assured, it will come out as soon as it can! Work has been crazy now that spring is here (yay, restaurant life) but inspiration for Diana's adventure is strong! Please, feel free to drop a review or favorite. And as always, thank you SO MUCH for reading! I'm so happy to be writing again. Ciao! :)

xoxo Hope

P.S. - Forgive any spelling or grammatical errors I may have made. I'm off to work the door for a concert at work, and don't have time to proof-read. I promise I'll do so within the next few days! :)


End file.
